Tank filling apparatus



June 16, 1931. N. M. DE ARMAN- 1,810,413

TNK FILLING APPARATUS FiledfApril ze. 1928 s sheets-sheet 1 attenua? June 16,' 1931- N. M., DE ARMAN TANK FILLING APPARATUS Filed April 26. 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 gnuegnoz NMK@ ffm a n v a f.' `c l l I attenua? June 16, 1931. N. M. DE ARMAN TANK FILLING APPARATUS Filed April 26, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 PATENT OFFICE f l Nnw'ron M. nnnnlMArLor VENTURA,`CALIFORNIA i 'raux FILLING APPARATUS i K Application filed April 28,

This invention relatestotank filling apparatus andmore particularly to apparatus vforV controlling lthe discharge oftlow linesinto a series of tanks. I i it An important object of theinvention` 1s to provide a construction such that a series'of tanks may be connected kto a single ow line and the flow line will successively dischargeV into these 'tanks iandbe disconnected Afrom l@ eachtank whenvthe/luid reaches apredeter mined level in the tank. y Y f vA further object of the invention isY the provision in apparatus of `this character of a structure such that the flow line may be cutoff from the tank with which it is in communication after a predetermined period ot time Without regard to the level of the fluid 1n the tank.

A. still further object of the invention is to provide'a construction such that the apparatus may be very easily prepared for successively iilling the tanks.

A still Jfurther object of the invention is the provision of apparatus of this character 5 which may be verycheaply constructed and readily applied to the tank, which will be` durable and eilicient inservice and a general `improvement in the art.

These and other obj ects Iattain by the construction shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein for the purpose ot' illustration is shown a'preierred embodiment of my 1nlvention and wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation partially in section showing tank iilling apparat-us constructed in accordance with myinvention applied to a series of tanks, two ktanks of the series being illustrated;

Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevation partially in section ofthe control apparatus;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional view through one of Y the guide pulleys of the Vcontrol apparatus;

' Figure 5 is a sectional'view through the other of the guide pulleys;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary elevation showing the manner of connecting the brace and guide to the support;

lees. ,seran No. 273,043.

at each tank, with'the exception of the last tank of the series, not illustrated, two valves; 13 and 14, of which the valve 13 controls continued passage olf-fluid throughfthe How line to the succeeding tank of the series and the f valve 14 controls communication.betweenthe flow line and the tank. In the `present in-r stance, these valves havebeen'illustrated as seating in the same'direction andas longitu .70 dinally spaced in the flow line. y i Between the valves, I secure to the flow line a standard 15 at the upper end ofy which is pivotedy a lever 16 having link connections 17. with the stems 18 of the valves 13 and 14. 75 To the flow line, I secure, as indicated at 19, .Y a standard 2O adjacent Vwhich one end. ofthe lever16 operates. This standard has a downwardly extending guide 21, which is spaced at its lower end from the standard to-provide a guide slot 22 into which the end of the, lever l16 may extend when the valve 13 :is closed, land the-'valve 14 is-ope'n.V Pivotedfto thev standard,as at 23, is a latch'24, the upper',

end of which is provided with a shoulder 25 85' adapted to engage beneaththe lever and hold it within the guide yslot 22. The supports 19 f likewise serve to mount one end' of a bracket arm 26, the opposite end of which is connected with the upper end ofithestandard Vby a brace 27. This brace27 is connected with the Y lever bya' springL 28, which `springservesjto maintain the latch 24 in its position beneath c the lever 16. Y n Y i Y Upon the flow line or some other suitable support, Ik mount a pair of pulleys 29.and l 30. yThe pulley 29 guides a pair of flexible* elements 31 and 32 which are connected to the lower end of they latch lever 24. The flexible 1m) element 31 is operatively connected to a float 33 arranged within the tank and is preferably guided to the bottom of the tank through a tube 34 or by some other suitable means. The pulley 30 guides a flexible element 35 which is attached to the lever 16 at one end and at its opposite end is connected to one end of a spring 36, the opposite end of which is connected to the brace 27. The outer end of this lever is preferably provided with a counter-weight 37 to assist the spring 36 in its operation.

Mounted upon the bracket arm is a clock 38 having an alarm winding arbor 39 to which is secured a small drum 40 to which the opposite end of the flexible element 32 is secured in such manner that it is wound thereon when the alarm arbor rotates and thusserves to exercise a pull upon the latch lever, disengaging the shoulder Qthereof from the lever 16.

ln the use of the device, where it is simply desired to sucessively fill the tanks of the series, the lever- 16 of each tank of the series is forced upwardly until it is held by a latch 24. This places the valves 13 and 14 in such position that each tank is in communication with the ilow line and the flow line is cutotf'beyond the tank. As the float rises in the first tank, the flexible element 31 will exercise a rpull upon the latch 24, releasing the same and permitting the lever ,to shift under the influence of;y the spring 36 and counterweight 37.- `The positions of the valves of this tank are'thus reversed, communication between the tank and the flow line being cutofl and the interruption ofthe flow line discontinued. The fluid will accordingly flow into thesecond tank of the series where the above operations will be continued. The last tank ofthe series (not shown) will, of course,

` be provided with a plug closure for t-he flow line in lieu of the valve 13.

When a test is desired to determine the amount of liquid flowing through the line 12 at agiven interval, the lever 16 of the tank or tanks where the test is to be made is placed The alarm mechanism of the clock 38 is then set to operate at the desired interval and when this interval hasy passed, operation of the arbor will cause the flexible element 32 to be wound thereon, with the result that the latch 25 is withdrawn andthe arm 16 shifted to its normal position by the weight 37 and spring 36.

If,y for example, it is desired to determine` the flow per hour for three hours, it is mere-- 1 necessary to set the mechanism of the first three tanks of the vseries in the manner j ust described, the alarm mechanism of the first tank being set to operate at the end of one hour, that of the second tank at the end oi two hours and that of the third tank atthe end of three hours. By gauging'the tanks at the; time ofv setting the apparatus and gaugadapted to be closed to cut off the flow line n from succeeding tanks of a series, a second valve atv each tank and adapted to be opened to permitdelivery of fluid from the line to the tank, a lever pivoted between its ends and connected to the valves and adapted when raised to hold said first valve closed and said second valve opened, a bracket arm secured to the flow pipe, a standard secured to the bracket arm, a brace secured to the bracket arm and standard, a latch pivoted to the standard and engaging the lever whereby to hold the lever in upraised position, a spring connected to the brace and lever for holdin the latch into engagement with the lever, a oat within the tank, and a flexible connection between the float and latch said float upon filling of the tank pulling said flexible connection for release of the latch from the lever against the tensionl of said spring.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

' NEWTONM. DE ARMAN. 

